Go on patrol and into action with the PBY Catalina flying boat–known as the "Cat"–one of the truly great aircraft designs. Introduced in 1935 as a long-range patrol aircraft, it was becoming obsolete when America entered WWII. But, easy to manufacture in large numbers, the Cat continued in production and excelled in almost every theater of war. But it was as a night bomber that the legendary "Black Cat" squadrons won fame in the battles of the Solomon Islands. Combining archival footage, modern re-enactments and the memories of crewmembers, this film tells the story of the PBY Catalina. Relive the many battles where the Catalina played a pivotal role–from spotting the Bismarck to locating the Japanese fleet off Midway–and hear from members of the "Black Cat" squadrons that bombed Japanese convoys at night. It was slow, lumbering and ponderous–but it was one of the most successful aircraft of WWII.

John French first took up flying in 1937 with the University of London Air Squadron, and this move was to signal the start of a long and varied career in flight that would see him involved in some of the most iconic wartime exploits of the Twentieth Century.